


Ready…?

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Multi, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-30
Updated: 2012-04-30
Packaged: 2017-11-04 14:14:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/394749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Colin and Bradley have been together for years, and will be for aye… but after they watch Rupert star in a hot gay movie, they're inspired to invite him home for the night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ready…?

**Author's Note:**

> With eternal thanks to my awesome beta **asifidletyou** ♥
> 
> Written for the **Merlin RPF miniBANG 2012** held on Live Journal at **merlinbb_rpf** ♥
> 
> ## the inspiration 
> 
> OK, so first there was a tweet from Rupert's brother Justin…
> 
> Which had been inspired by the Camp coffee bottle label…
> 
> (And frankly I want to write the novel…) But for now it inspired me to cast the film and create a poster… 
> 
> [](http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx15/mrs_leary/fic/ready-flat.jpg)  
> Which you can click to make bigger!
> 
> And then (at least in my wicked imagination) the film inspired Bradley and Colin thusly…

♦♦♦

# Ready…? 

♦

Colin sat there in the darkened auditorium, breath snagged in his throat, as intently focussed on the last images of this film as the other couple of hundred people attending the premiere. When Justin had pitched it as ‘Brokeback, with a kilt and a turban’, Colin had assumed it would likewise have a tragic or at best a bittersweet ending. Instead, Sandy and Hari were about to leave the prejudices of the far–flung British Empire behind, and ride off together into the unknown of India, into a future of their own making… Kind of like Maurice and Alec turning their back on society, and living in the greenwood. It was awesome! The final exquisitely perfect touch was that as they made the last preparations for their journey, the eastern sky slowly lightened… The long dark night was ending.

‘Ready?’ Hari asked.

‘Aye, ready!’ Sandy replied with a hard–won happy confidence.

And they rode off together into the sunrise.

♦

There was a moment’s hush as the credits began with ‘A film by Justin Young’ – and then the whole place broke out in wild applause. Everybody loved it, and how couldn’t they? It was a brilliant movie, beautifully made, and featuring two of the most compelling performances Colin had ever been privileged to see. He was genuinely lost for words.

As people began re–gathering themselves and getting up to stretch and socialise before the Q&A session began, Colin turned to find Bradley beside him had slumped all the way down in his seat, with his head tucked down below the back of the chair. Colin raised an eyebrow.

Bradley seemed dazed. ‘Holy mother of…’ He stopped himself, and cast a flurried yet apologetic look at Colin. ‘Sorry.’ The agnostic was always more worried about blasphemy than the Catholic.

Colin shrugged that off. He had other things on his mind. ‘That was…’ He wanted to say _epic, awesome, incredible_ – but such words had been used too often for things that weren’t even half as epic, awesome, incredible as this.

‘Yeah,’ said Bradley. ‘It was.’ He let out a sigh, and then actually shivered.

Colin watched as Bradley’s body actually shuddered from one end to the other, and the lust suddenly prickled and sparked across Colin’s skin, and all he could think was, _We have **got** to get home…_

‘They were so hot,’ Bradley whispered, hardly even bothering to see if anyone was in hearing distance.

Colin was warier. He cast a discreet glance around, and despite them being pretty much as alone as possible, went with a jokey answer. ‘It was all the hair. Bound to be pretty with all that fabulous hair…’

Bradley actually groaned quietly – in need. ‘Col –’

‘I know,’ Colin quickly said. ‘We have to hang around at least long enough to congratulate Justin, and Rupert…’

‘Rupert…’ Bradley echoed.

‘Who’d have thought, eh?’ Colin grinned, though he knew it was a bit wobbly. ‘ _Must_ be a good actor. He’s too straight to go Method on this one!’

Bradley was still slumped there in his seat, looking up at Colin now with a mute plea.

Colin leaned in closer so he could say very quietly, ‘Tonight – you can pretend I’m Sandy, if you want. You can pretend you’re Hari.’

The man mutely disagreed. Not that he ever overtly disagreed with Colin about such matters, or presumed to deny him, but after all this time Colin could read Bradley like his most beloved book. The tiniest turn of his head to the side and back. Not shaking his head _no_ , but nevertheless indicating that Colin was heading off down the wrong path.

‘What then?’ Colin breathed softly, leaning in close so as to block out all the world, and keep his love safe and secure. ‘You know what I promised you, Bradley. You can always be honest with me, and I’ll always take care of you.’

Bradley nodded, not even bothering to be solemn about it. He had no doubts.

‘What are you thinking?’ Colin asked. ‘About Naveen…?’

No, that wasn’t it.

‘About Rupert…?

Bradley’s eyes flared, and it didn’t take Colin’s years of experience to read what they conveyed.

‘He was…’ Colin agreed, wordless again. The illicit affair between the two characters had been passionate, intense, and all the more erotic for consisting of nothing more than the press of a kiss against the inside of a wrist betwixt glove and cuff, or the bittersweet affection in a hand surreptitiously discovering the shape of a shoulder as Sandy offered very proper and manly reassurance to his Indian orderly. The inexpressible lust had built and built, and had threatened disaster, until eventually the love bloomed and grew between them as well, and proved their saviour. At last, alone together on a reconnaissance mission, they’d spent a night in a sheltering cave, and in the flickering gold firelight they finally discarded clothes, manners, mores… And then, of course, they’d known – that nothing could ever be the same for either of them.

Naveen Andrews had been sincere and scorchingly hot as Hari. Rupert as Sandy had been… tortured and then brave, heroic, and always unutterably sublime.

Colin considered his lover carefully. ‘Rupert, then,’ he said softly. ‘Do you want him? Is that it?’

‘Col –´ Bradley said brokenly. ‘I’d never, I swear –’

‘I know you wouldn’t. But I love you, and I want you to have what you want.’

‘ _Col_  –’

‘I’m going to get him for you, all right?’

‘But he’s not – He wouldn’t –’

‘I think anyone would,’ Colin said, and even his voice was wobbling at this point, ‘if they could have you.’

Bradley lay there as if wallowing in complete contentment for a while. Until panic suddenly sparked. ‘But not – He wouldn’t know what to do.’

‘I’ll be there, my darlin’ man. Don’t fret. We’ll take him home with us, and I’ll be there to make sure he knows how to treat you right.’

 _‘Oh, Col…’_ Bradley breathed, in all the luxury of surrender.

And Colin was completely unable to suppress a smile.

♦

Most people knew well enough to leave them alone. Colin and Bradley weren’t _out_ as such, but they’d been together for so long now that just about everyone knew. They loitered together somewhere out of the way, and didn’t look to engage with anyone else. So people let them be.

Then eventually, once Rupert had received the well–earned praise and hearty congratulations of all, and people were starting to leave because the last Tube was due, Colin went over to him. ‘Rupert,’ he said, shaking the man’s hand.

‘Colin, hey. Oh god, was it too awful?’

‘You were brilliant. An incredible film, and you were all that and more.’

‘Colin, thank you. That really means a lot.’ Rupert glanced over at Bradley, obviously wondering why he was still hanging around over there on his own. ‘Um – Didn’t offend Bradley, did we? I mean, it can get a bit counter–intuitive at times, two straight guys in roles like that.’

Colin glanced over, too, and then his gaze swung back to Rupert – and impaled him. ‘No, not at all.’ He let a beat go by. ‘Bradley wants you.’

‘Oh right,’ Rupert obligingly agreed, apparently assuming Bradley had just sent Colin over because he had something to say. It seemed to take an effort for him to drag his gaze away from Colin’s, but his politeness won for now. ‘Sure. Sorry, I’ve been caught up. I should have come over before.’

Colin didn’t move, and Rupert only managed to take two steps before he was stalled again by confusion. Rupert turned back towards him, his hands together, but lifted slightly towards Colin as if asking for elucidation.

Colin leaned in just a tiny bit closer. Just enough to convey discretion. ‘Bradley,’ he said again in a low voice, ‘wants you.’

‘Oh! Oh, Colin!’ He looked frightfully apologetic. ‘Um, look. Well, you know. Even if I was! I wouldn’t get in your way, mate.’

‘I’m not here to warn you off.’

‘You’re not?’ Rupert was back to being confused.

‘I’m here to ask you back to our place tonight.’

‘What…’ Rupert’s glance flickered uncertainly between them, and his hands grasped each other as if seeking his own reassurance. ‘Oh. I didn’t know… you two were… well, that you weren’t exclusive.’

‘We are exclusive. But if Bradley wants something, then I make it happen for him. Well –’ Colin faltered for a moment. ‘Usually it only involves the two of us, so there’s no question – But I want to make this happen for him, too. And let me tell you,’ he finished as strong as ever: ‘you’re not going to get a better offer tonight, or many other nights either.’

Rupert was gazing somewhere in Bradley’s direction, almost imploringly, as if wishing he didn’t feel so very tempted. ‘I’ve never – Well, other than –’ He gestured vaguely towards the idea of the film, of acting, of colleagues. ‘Not for real. Obviously I had to think about it…’ Rupert smiled at Colin, and offered a bit shame–faced, ‘Naveen was kind of easy to think about.’

Colin nodded. ‘We’ll all be out of our comfort zones. I’ve never shared Bradley before, and I might not ever want to again. But I can tell you… he’s not someone to pass up, mate.’

‘He’d be my first,’ Rupert murmured as if to himself.

‘And you’ll be ours.’ All these years with Bradley, and Colin more than ever thought him the best man in all the world. He quietly advised, ‘It’s not the sort of offer to refuse.’

A searching glance. ‘And you?’

‘I’ll be there. Don’t have to get involved if you’d rather not. But he’ll want me to be there.’

Rupert was teetering on the edge, about to fall.

‘Make it a fancy, if you want,’ Colin smoothly suggested. ‘He can be the Hari to your Sandy. Doesn’t have to be any more real than that.’

‘No, I’d want it to be real. I’d want him to be Bradley.’

‘Then will you come with us now? Or meet us there later?’

‘I’ll come now,’ Rupert stuttered out. For a moment he looked surprised at himself. And then he turned to gaze with a warm wary curiosity across the room at Bradley – who shifted a little, obviously feeling needy and exposed and achingly vulnerable.

‘Then say your goodbyes. Let’s not keep him waiting.’

♦

Colin had never had anything like what he had with Bradley. He’d always liked to be active in bed, but he’d never thought of himself as dominant – and he still didn’t. He’d never minded whether his partners were active or passive. He only wanted them to be true to themselves. Then he’d met Bradley, who was all heart and soul – and when Bradley was in love he gave himself utterly, with no pretence and no barriers – and he was so very precious that Colin couldn’t help but want to take care of him. He’d resisted it for a long while, afraid that Bradley would be too great a responsibility, that Colin would find this role above all others too demanding, requiring too much. In the end, he’d realised that all Bradley required was Colin. But it was just as well they’d delayed, for by the time they finally got together they trusted each other _completely_. And it had been just the most simple and honest and amazing thing… The rest, they made up as they went along.

It was only now, though, as Colin circled the bed – still dressed in jeans and shirt, though his feet were bare – it was only now that he wondered if this kind of thing didn’t come naturally to actors. Rupert – naked and beautiful and _involved_ – was kneeling between Bradley’s bent legs, his spread thighs, gently fingering him, watching with a kind of awe as Bradley’s gold–and–cream colouring warmed towards rose–gold. And the point was that Rupert was – taking direction _perfectly_. And Bradley was gazing up at him, not quite as shy as Colin had expected, with his eyes barely even half–lidded, and his hands wrapped around the rungs of their bed head starting to tighten their grip, though the rest of him remained deceptively relaxed.

‘One of the incredible things about Bradley,’ Colin remarked, as his path took him round behind where Bradley gripped the bed head – they had deliberately placed the bed right in the centre of the room to give freer rein to Colin’s imagination. ‘One of the things I love most about him,’ Colin continued, as he crouched down so his head was by Bradley’s and he could see what Bradley was seeing. Rupert’s gaze hadn’t shifted beyond the man he was making love to, but his head tilted in Colin’s direction, eager to hear more. ‘One of the things I enjoy most… is how _responsive_ he is.’

Bradley let out a little moan, half protest and all surrender.

The hunger of Rupert’s gaze ramped up even further.

‘There’s a place on his inner thighs,’ Colin lazily continued, still so close beside Bradley that it must seem to the man as if his secrets were spilling themselves. ‘There’s a place he loves being touched… He’s such a hussy for it. One day…’ Colin promised, directing this now more to Bradley, ‘I’m going to make him come by that alone.’

Bradley as good as whimpered, though Colin would never tease him about such responses, either during or after.

Rupert’s free hand flexed and stretched, needing to find this place on Bradley’s thighs. But already he knew better than to take any action without Colin’s permission. Meanwhile, he maintained the perfect rhythm with his finger, seeing for himself how much Bradley loved it, how much he yearned for more.

‘Don’t touch him yet,’ Colin told Rupert. ‘And, Bradley, don’t give it away. Rupert, just hover your hand over where you think it is. See if you can read him like I can. _Yes_ …’ he hissed as Rupert started up almost by Bradley’s knee, wanting to prolong the search. Bradley’s breath was already panting in anticipation – and then of course despite Bradley’s best efforts, his breath hitched as Rupert reached the place about two–thirds of the way up his thigh.

Rupert was watching Bradley with great interest, letting his hand ease past and then back, and basically just driving him mad.

‘ _Please_ , Colin,’ Bradley ended up crying. He usually lasted much longer than this before he started really begging. ‘Please.’

‘Gently,’ said Colin to Rupert. ‘Cleverly.’

And the man _was_ clever, too. He laid his hand lightly on the front of Bradley’s thigh – and then swept his thumbpad down across this secret place he’d found.

Bradley arched his back with a cry, his hands clenched now around the rungs – and even as he pushed further down onto Rupert’s patient finger, he tilted his head back and his hot liquid blue gaze found Colin’s and he begged, _‘ **Please** , Col!’_

Colin reached through the bars to shape his hand around that beautiful strong jaw, and he just touched for a while, enjoying the texture and scent and mewling breaths of his lover as well as the sight. Colin was about to let another man possess the one thing in the world most precious to him, and certainly the thought gave him pause. But how could he deny Bradley something he wanted so much? Colin had never been one for half measures. If he loved Bradley – and he did – then he would love him as thoroughly and as generously as he knew how. Apart from which, no one who knew Rupert could help loving him a little bit as well.

‘You’re ready, then?’ Colin asked thickly. ‘My darlin’ man…’

‘Yes. Yes.’

‘Rupert, d’you have that condom? Time to put it on.’ When Rupert cast him a querying glance, Colin added, ‘Let your finger ease out. Be careful, but you won’t hurt him. Just let it slide out.’ Colin pressed a kiss to Bradley’s fine golden hair, and stood. Went to fetch the basin, and let Rupert wash his hands, then Colin watched as the man deftly rolled a condom onto his decently sized cock. ‘Now shift in a bit closer,’ Colin said, standing there beside them, watching them align themselves to each other. ‘Let him lift his legs around your waist, and then wrap an arm under his lower back, help take his weight. That’s it…’ He was pleased as well as a little bit heartbroken. ‘Use your other hand to hold yourself firm, but Bradley will know where to find you. That’s it, lift up a little to meet him, and –’ And another man was sliding his cock his self his heart and soul and balls and all into Bradley, and Colin couldn’t help but sob out a little protest.

Even in the midst of the slowly roiling storm, Bradley glanced at him, asked him seriously, ‘Too much? We’ll stop.’

‘Yes,’ said Rupert, the words torn from him as if it would break him, but he’d do it. ‘We’ll stop.’

‘I don’t want you to stop,’ Colin said evenly. ‘I want you to fuck each other. Take care of each other.’

And within moments, that’s just what they were doing. Caught up in each other, finding their own rhythm, different again from the rhythms that Colin shared with Bradley. They were beautiful, so beautiful together.

Colin just watched for a while, but soon he shucked his shirt up and off without unbuttoning it. Let his jeans and briefs fall to the floor, and stepped out of them. He got up onto the bed on his knees, crawled in behind where Rupert knelt. _‘Col,’_ Bradley greeted him, and ‘Colin,’ said Rupert in a tightly wound voice.

‘Trust me,’ Colin said to Rupert. ‘I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. Even if I flirt with it a bit.’

Rupert was gazing down at Bradley, and must have found the answer there. ‘I trust you.’

Colin let his hands explore for a while – Rupert’s hips, and the muscle shifting within his lean buttocks as he maintained a steadily rocking rhythm – Bradley’s legs and the way they encompassed Rupert’s waist, the way his ankles hooked together. And then Colin shifted closer still, and with a hand holding himself firm let his cockhead run hard from Rupert’s hole down to his balls and back with every thrust he made. It was gorgeous, and Rupert moaned in puzzled delight, trying to interpret the sensation as pleasure or as whatever else it might be. Rupert shifted restlessly, as if hardly knowing whether to push back for more, or push forward in an escape that would give him more of Bradley. Colin ran his free hand up Rupert’s back, up his nape, and wedged his fingers into the man’s glorious hair… Took a fistful of those golden–brown waves and tugged just enough to keep Rupert exactly where he wanted him. 

Bradley might not realise quite what Colin was doing, but he knew sure enough that Rupert was at last losing any last sense of control, any distance or perspective – and he stiffly unwrapped his hands from the rungs, and reached up for Rupert, tried to gather him in – and as soon as Colin let go Rupert went, bending over further for the sake of Bradley’s embrace even though that left him horribly exposed. But Colin didn’t take advantage, of course. He simply followed him down, and pressed up against his back, Colin’s cock now running up the tail of Rupert’s backbone, his cock rocking hard between them as they both shifted – and any semblance of rhythm turned ragged and needy – and at last Bradley cried out, _‘Colin!’_ and Colin reached around Rupert to slide a hand in to grasp his lover’s cock and bring him off with one twisting tug –

Bradley came with a hoarse howl, and arched up, bucked up _hard_ , but the other men were too determined to be dislodged. Rupert threw chivalry to the winds and powered into Bradley for three last crazy thrusts, before he surrendered, too, and that just left Colin, who was content to anchor himself with a hand in Rupert’s hair again, and rub himself off against Rupert’s fine hot damp skin, as his lover quaked beneath them both.

♦

Rupert didn’t need to be told what to do afterwards. They all collapsed there for a while, encompassed by Bradley’s fierce embrace. And then, as soon as he could bear to, Colin wrenched himself away, and got them all cleaned up. As Colin was tidying things away again, Rupert helped Bradley in under the puffy quilt, and then wrapped all six–foot–four of himself around the man. Colin could even make out, in the shiftings under the quilt, Rupert’s long legs entwining themselves with Bradley’s and holding him safe. Colin got in on Bradley’s other side, and did likewise with all six–foot of himself. Bradley wriggled happily for a moment before settling, already drifting off into the deep sleep of the well–shagged.

At the last moment, though, Bradley’s eyes blinked open, and that infinite innocent blue pinned Colin. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

‘You’re welcome,’ Colin replied, and watched as Bradley finally slipped under. He looked across at Rupert, and said very clearly in his turn, ‘Thank _you_.’

‘My pleasure,’ Rupert replied with a quiet sincerity that wasn’t at all undermined by a gleam of humour. Rupert smiled, and tightened his arms for a moment around this precious burden they’d shared for a time. ‘I should probably go.’

‘No, don’t. Not if you don’t want to. It’s late. Stay the night.’

‘I’d love to.’

‘Good.’ Colin smiled at the man, and then tucked his head in close beside his lover’s. And once he heard Rupert’s breathing relax down into sleep, Colin let go as well.

♦

Colin cooked them breakfast the next morning, and they all three lazed around for a while with an extra pot of coffee, before Rupert finally left. Colin saw him off, and then returned to where Bradley was lying abandoned on the sofa. He took the man deep into his arms. ‘Still mine, darlin’ man?’ he murmured into Bradley’s golden hair.

‘Always,’ Bradley replied.

They cuddled there for a long while, talking every now and then about everyday things, about the frequently ordinary aspects of the life they shared. Reassuring themselves and each other that nothing significant had changed.

Eventually Colin asked, ‘You liked that, didn’t you? Having the two of us taking care of you.’

That candid blue gaze met his, bright with laughter, and yet confessing, _Yes_.

Colin sighed a little, but it wasn’t that he felt sad. ‘Just Rupert, d’you think?’ Colin asked. ‘If he’s willing. I think I can cope with sharing you with Rupert. He’s probably the nicest guy I’ve ever met.’

Bradley was gazing at him like the sun rose and set on Colin’s shoulders.

‘All right, then.’ Colin reached for his phone, and tapped out a text. _The invitation stands. If you ever feel like playing again._

 _Thank you_ , came the response a long five minutes later. _It was astounding. But I need to think._

_Of course._

_Not about you. Either of you. You were both. Astounding._

_Understood. See you in cardiff! It’s all good._

And that was that. Except Colin discovered that he was possessive enough to take Bradley back to bed for a thorough fucking before lunch – for which he cooked up a feast of all the things that Bradley liked best.

♦

Rupert, however, barely lasted out the week. Cardiff was a delicious time of sweet hints of self–consciousness and confusion, of happy grins and long considering looks, of lingering gazes that eventually turned yearning.

Finally, on the Saturday when they were all back in London again, Rupert texted Colin. _Ready?_

‘It’s from Rupert,’ Colin announced – and when he went to read it out, he found that Bradley was nodding eagerly before Colin had even voiced the second syllable. Rupert received an almost instantaneous reply. _Aye, ready!_

♦♦♦

Colin had a task to do; he should be going down on Bradley, that had been the plan. But he indulged himself for a few moments, watching these two beautiful men of his fucking. Rupert was kneeling, sitting back on his heels, and Bradley was sitting in his lap, his thighs straddling Rupert’s. They were rising and falling together, gently, almost undulating in endless oceanic rhythm. Colin was mesmerised by that slow relentless rhythm. Bradley’s head was resting heavily back against Rupert’s shoulder, his golden hair catching the light as he shifted, the shine of it igniting an answering glow deep under Colin’s breastbone. Bradley’s hands were behind him on Rupert’s hips, while Rupert’s arms encompassed him, and Colin remembered all too well how that felt, to feel Bradley’s hands on him, to feel Bradley under his own hands. Rupert looked almost as overcome with the gorgeousness of it all as Colin would be. When Rupert’s head wasn’t tilted back as he gasped for air, grasped for control, he tucked his face in close beside Bradley’s, grazing and then biting at Bradley’s throat. It was a glorious sight. The whole thing. Glorious. So Colin, instead of bending down and getting on with it, was kneeling there before them, watching with a kind of reverence, while he rolled Bradley’s balls in a palm, and stroked his cock with his other hand. For Bradley, Colin thought, it was pretty close to perfect, judging from Bradley’s languidly closed eyes, slow panting moans, and rose–gold cheeks. Almost perfect…

But he wasn’t the only one letting Bradley down. Colin could see from the way Bradley arched his upper back, pushing forward just the tiniest bit, that his nipples were in want of attention. One of Rupert’s hands was wandering up from Bradley’s belly, but not quickly enough. Rupert was perhaps so lost in his own pleasure that he hadn’t even noticed. And he did have fine hands, Colin thought, such pretty hands – getting distracted himself for a moment, as he watched those fingers trail up past Bradley’s sensitive waist, and then return to it for a bit of provocation. Bradley groaned in satisfaction, and then in need. He was approaching the end.

Colin settled back a little, ready to bend to his task. But before he did so, ‘Rupert,’ he said. ‘His nipple. Rub at his nipples.’

Rupert spared him a glance over Bradley’s shoulder. And continued what he was doing, no more and no less.

‘Rupert –’

‘I’ve got this,’ Rupert said succinctly. Not tersely or impatiently, but for Rupert that was damned irritable. He could do this. He could make love to Bradley without Colin’s advice.

Colin considered him for a moment, while Rupert stared back at him. The undulating rhythm continued on –

But Bradley was stirring, sensing that something was going on, and he blinked, beginning to lose his utter abandonment to pleasure.

Well. That would never do.

Colin smiled deliberately at Rupert, and murmured, ‘Of course you do.’

And with no further fuss, Colin leaned down to encompass Bradley’s beautifully thick cock with his mouth, to take it as deep deep as it would go. And he sucked hard, with his tongue winding insistent patterns, while his fingers tugged at Bradley’s balls with just the required amount of roughness. 

Bradley cried out, and was lost once more.

♦

Due to the vagaries of filming, they unexpectedly all had the Monday off – and they had agreed that they would actually spend the whole weekend together, the three of them. Colin should have known that it would be too much.

Bradley was aware that there was something gone awry between Rupert and Colin, but they weren’t raising it, and he wasn’t pushing. Instead he placed himself between them as often as he could, no matter what they were all doing, and he maintained some kind of contact with each of them, as if connecting them.

It was late the following afternoon before Rupert finally said something. And that was only while Bradley was in the kitchen making tea, and the noise of the electric kettle slowly coming to the boil was enough to camouflage a quiet conversation.

‘Look,’ said Rupert. ‘I respect what you’ve got happening here. And each to their own. But I know what I’m doing now –’

‘Oh, _do_ you?’

‘Yes. The – the skills are more transferrable than I’d thought. You can quit telling me every move to make.’

Colin stared at him, rather astonished that the amiable Rupert was being so defiant. The musical clink of a teaspoon in a cup reminded him that they didn’t have much time to resolve this. 

‘All right?’ prompted Rupert.

‘It’s for Bradley’s sake,’ Colin explained. ‘I only want the best for Bradley.’

‘I get that. But I’m not a – Oh, I don’t know. I’m not a sex toy that you get to use just to pleasure your boyfriend!’

Colin choked on a dozen different responses to that, and ended up snorting – which Rupert apparently took as sarcasm.

‘I’m not just an extra pair of hands, or an extra mouth or cock, that you can order about. All right?’ Rupert cast him a disgruntled look. ‘I really expected more from you, Colin.’

But already Colin was past it, well past the anger and the annoyance and even the frustration. And he could see the ridiculous side of it. ‘Are you saying…’ he began, slowly and ruminatively, ‘that I think of you as nothing more than a convenient, animated dildo?’

Rupert’s mouth quirked reluctantly, as if he were amused despite himself. ‘Well, don’t you?’

‘Oh, a _massive_ one.’

Rupert guffawed, as if he knew it was going to be all right now, even if he was still getting past the last of the resentment. ‘Thanks, mate.’

‘Yeah, you’ve really been an enormous cock… but that’s all right, cos I’ve been a bit of an arse.’

‘Little bit,’ Rupert agreed.

And a few moments later when Bradley came in with three mugs of tea, he found them laughing together. They weren’t sitting close to each other, but they were closer than they had been, and Bradley had to wriggle a bit to fit back in between. Rupert curled up around Bradley, and drew him near. Colin followed readily enough, and just relaxed against his lover, his hands straying over Bradley’s delicious planes and curves, and not minding if they happened to stray further as well. It was sweet.

Bradley sighed happily, knowing that everything was fine again.

‘Bradley,’ Rupert eventually said, in tones even more laidback than usual. ‘I’m going to need your help later.’

‘Sure,’ said Bradley.

‘For what?’ Colin asked. But he couldn’t even stir up a bit of righteous suspicion.

‘Never you mind,’ Rupert archly replied.

Bradley laughed in surprise. And Colin just smiled.

♦

Nothing further happened until later that night. In fact, Colin had put it out of his mind – and it was only when he returned from cleaning up the kitchen and stacking the dishwasher, and he saw Rupert’s expectant face and Bradley’s tentatively excited one, that he really remembered. He stalled about halfway into the living room. ‘What’s going on?’ Colin asked.

‘Nothing yet,’ Rupert genially replied. He pointed to a spot in front of where Bradley and Rupert sat on the sofa, but on the other side of the coffee table. ‘Stand about there, would you?’

‘All riiight…’ Colin said, doing so, but warily.

‘Bradley?’ Rupert prompted.

Bradley leaned down and flipped the floor switch for the standard lamp. Colin found himself spotlighted, belatedly realising that the only other light on now was the table lamp beside the sofa.

‘Guys –?’

‘We want you to strip,’ Rupert announced. ‘Or – more to the point – we want to watch you strip.’ He nudged Bradley with an elbow.

Bradley picked up a remote from the coffee table, and a moment later a rather sexy piece of classical music swelled through the flat. It seemed vaguely familiar, which Colin supposed must be because it had been used in film soundtracks and such.

‘What’s that?’ Colin asked.

Bradley shrugged. ‘Remember my Mum gave it to me when we first moved in together? I’m beginning to worry about why now.’

‘Yeah…’ But too much thinking along those lines would be counter–productive. Colin sighed, and lifted his hands to his first shirt button. And then stalled again. ‘What gave you this idea? You know I can’t dance, right?’

Rupert gestured dismissively. ‘Get on with it, Morgan! We’re calling the shots tonight.’

‘Oh… _that’s_ what this is about.’

‘Enough with the talking! Give us something to watch!’

Colin cast a suspicious glance about the room. ‘You’re not filming this, are you? If I hear that anything like this has found its way onto YouTube, you’ll never work in this town again, Rupert Young!’

‘Oh, did you hear that, Bradley?’ Rupert was sincere, but overplaying it for laughs. ‘Better take him seriously. That’s Colin Morgan, Once and Future Star talking.’

Bradley was grinning. ‘He doesn’t scare me.’

‘He’s not threatening you!’ Rupert sulked for a moment before beaming again. ‘Nah, this is just for us, one time only. Come on! Get those clothes off!’

‘Come on, Colin!’ Bradley chipped in. ‘Off! Off! Off! Off!’

He undid one button. ‘I can’t –’ He gestured helplessly towards the cd player.

‘Just feel the music in your hips, Colin,’ Rupert supplied. ‘Don’t need any more than that. And get those clothes off! We want to look at you. Up close and personal.’

Colin shivered. And complied.

♦

He didn’t make too much of a shambles of it, he didn’t think, and the others responded with all the required catcalls and general encouragement. Colin managed all right with the shirt, teasing them with a slow reveal. Couldn’t think of a sexy way of actually getting out of his jeans once they were undone, so just went with the obvious of letting them drop – then hooked them up with a foot and sent them flying towards his audience. Rupert grabbed them, scrunched them up in both hands, and lifted them to his face to breathe in a nose–full. Which was so funny that it almost ruined what little mood Colin had been able to create.

Then he was down to his briefs, so he teased the two men a bit more, sliding down one side and then another, and revealing all for a moment while his back was turned. At last the briefs were tossed towards Bradley, who caught them gratefully, while Colin hid himself behind his other hand. Then – just for a moment, as he spun about and tried to wriggle in a vaguely seductive manner – he did indeed feel the music in his hips. And he managed one good gyration, to much loud appreciation, before finishing with a clumsy flourish, with his feet together and his cock hanging heavy and his hands outspread in a ‘Ta da!’

Applause. Much applause and whistling. And then Rupert beckoned him over, so he went. Found himself grabbed, and ended up sitting in Rupert’s lap but leaning back into Bradley’s eager embrace. The other two were both still fully dressed of course, but it seemed that they intended to ravish him as is. He laughed, and went with it. Bradley holding him, and mouthing at him hungrily, kissing him, muttering something that seemed to include the word _love_ – that was the best thing in Colin’s world. Rupert’s fine hands high on Colin’s thighs, searching all those intimate stretches of skin that no one but Bradley had touched for so very long now, and his voice rumbling warmly about how gorgeous Colin was – that was second best, but they were both so wonderful that for now the difference between them was no difference at all.

For a while Colin just went with it. He could kiss and hold Bradley forever and never get tired of it, after all. He tried twisting around to get deeper into Bradley’s embrace, but Rupert wouldn’t let him. A firm hand on one hip held him in place, while he used the other hand to demonstrate his transferrable skills. So it was all perfectly wonderful, while not being quite wonderful enough – which was perfect. To balance the satisfaction with the yearning. That was fantastic.

‘What –’ said Colin, when he began to fear he’d soon be beyond forming coherent sentences – ‘What have you got in mind? Exactly.’

‘Stop thinking, Morgan,’ Rupert advised. While Bradley shifted in a little closer, and apparently tried to distract Colin by sucking little love bites along one shoulder.

‘Bed?’ Colin tried.

‘No, we’re fine here,’ Rupert easily replied. Then he reached a long arm to the side table. And returned with a tube of lube.

‘Oh,’ said Colin.

Rupert ignored him, and starting slicking up his fingers.

‘Um, who –’

A glance flicked in his direction, before Rupert’s attention returned to his task. When he was ready, he encouraged Colin up onto one hip, facing him, then he reached up as confidently as if he’d been doing this all his _life_ , and his lubed fingers trailed teasingly across their goal.

Colin shuddered. ‘Who…?’ he asked again.

‘Oh, I think Bradley should fuck you. If Bradley wants to.’

A surprised needy little groan from Bradley answered Rupert’s query. And Colin turned into Bradley’s warm embrace, and gave himself over with an echo of that groan – and one of Rupert’s fingers pushed in past the last of his resistance, and Colin sank heavily into the conflicted pleasure of surrender.

♦

And it certainly wasn’t all pleasure. It had been far too long since his last fucking, and it had never been an entirely unproblematic activity for him. Still, he wanted this. He _wanted_ this. Bradley was glowing with an odd mix of confusion and concern and joy, sitting slumped down on the sofa, still dressed with only his jeans unfastened. Colin was on top, straddling Bradley’s lap, and slowly deliberately giving himself over and over again to the mingled pain and sensuality. He was tight, he knew he was, so that even Bradley gasped as occasionally the clutch of Colin around him became too much _too much_. ‘Oh Col… Col…’ he moaned after a while. ‘Stop if you want to… Stop…’

‘I don’t want to. I want to give you this.’

‘If it’s too much –’

‘It’s too much,’ Colin agreed. ‘That’s how I want it.’

‘I didn’t know he meant this,’ Bradley apologised, his hands grasping hard at Colin’s thighs, reacting to and causing more of this pleasure–pain.

‘He’s right though. I needed to do this.’

Colin looked over at Rupert, who was watching them intently, his mouth parted in surprise and his eyes darkly alight with fascination. One hand was working lazily at himself within his jeans. He looked as if he could curl up there forever, watching them, and slowly chasing down his own pleasure.

‘How long?’ Colin asked him. He obediently kept the increasingly shaky rhythm going, but he asked again, ‘How long?’

Rupert belatedly took in the situation. ‘That’s enough. Bradley, is that enough?’

‘This time,’ Bradley agreed. He seemed about to carefully disengage, one hand fumbling for a grip on Colin’s waist to steady him. Bradley wasn’t only incredibly responsive, he had amazing control – but it was obvious he was right on the edge.

‘No, wait,’ said Rupert. ‘If you can –’

And Rupert shifted closer, pressed a kiss to Colin’s shoulder, to Bradley’s temple – before reaching one hand around and down behind Colin to apparently grasp at Bradley’s balls – while he leaned in closer, bent his head – and for the first time, went down on Colin – who cried out startled, and revelled in the extra sensation added to this already intense mix. Bradley freed one hand to wedge through Rupert’s hair and push it up out of the way so he could watch. And then Colin cried out in protest, for he was close, and his friend was being horribly reckless. ‘Rupert! Condom!’

Rupert just seemed to settle in further – and Bradley’s other hand was gripping Colin now as if barely holding on to the last scrap of control, his breath coming in great gulps – so Colin shook at Rupert’s shoulder, trying to dislodge him. Finally Rupert pulled away just far enough to say, ‘You never use one with Bradley. So it’s no risk for me.’

All of which was undeniably true, so a stunned Colin let him get on with it – and finally Rupert brought them both off within a moment. And the two of them collapsed there together in a shuddering gasping messy heap while Rupert held them close.

♦

Colin took care of them all afterwards, contentedly falling into familiar patterns. Nevertheless, once Rupert had drifted away into sleep, Colin whispered an apology to Bradley. ‘I took it too far. He made me see. It’s all gone too far, hasn’t it?’ 

Which wasn’t a question, but Bradley immediately assured him, ‘I wanted it, too.’

‘Maybe not all the time, though, eh?’

‘Maybe…’

‘Change it up every now and then.’

Bradley smiled at him, poignant. ‘But most of the time I’ll want just exactly what we have.’

‘Well, then,’ said Colin. He was smiling, too. ‘Ready…?’ _For the grand adventure that will be the rest of our lives?_

‘Aye, ready!’ Bradley softly averred. _Forever._

♦


End file.
